Wash box hutch draw-off



Jan. 19, 1954 PATE 2,666,525

' wAsH BOX HUTCH DRAW-OFF Filed Jan. 4, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

Jan. 19, 1954 Y R. PATE 7 2,666,525

WASH BOX HUTCH DRAW-OFF Filed Jan. 4, 1951 4 She etsSheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

Jan. 19, R L FATE WASH BOX HUTCH DRAW OFF 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 4, 1951 ||1 Llill.

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Patented Jan. 19, 1954 WASH BOX HUTCH DRAW-OFF Robert Lee Pate, Pittsburg, Kans., assignor to The McNally-Pittsburg Manufacturing Corporation, Pittsburg,

Kansas Kans.,

a corporation of Application January 4, 1951, Serial No. 204,323

4 Claims. (01. 209-457) The invention relates to the art of material separation by gravity action in a liquid medium such as performed on raw coal in washing the same and separating the coal from the refuse material intermingled therewith, and has more particular reference to a method and apparatus for discharging the hutch material from the hutch troughs of a coal wash box.

In the operation of a conventional wash box having operation on coal the separation of the coal takes place in a liquid medium disposed within one or more cells and the segregation of the refuse material is effected by the pulsating movement of the liquid, producing back and forth surging motion within each cell to alternately distendand then settle the material being treated while supported on screens or perforated plates. As the material progresses through the wash box the heavy refuse material and the middlings are separated therefrom and delivered to elevators which remove the waste material from the wash box. Hutch material comprising fine silica particles and the like is deposited in each cell. It has been customary to discharge this material from the hutch troughs by means of a screw conveyor. However, because the material is abrasive in character the screw conveyor is subjected to excessive wear and soon requires replacement.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and novel method and apparatus for removing material from the hutch troughs of coal washers and which makes use of the surging action of the water in the respective cells for propelling the material longitudinally of the troughs to the refuse elevators.

A more specific object resides in the provision of plate structure'in the hutch trough centrally thereof for transforming the surging motion of the water into motion forwardly within the trough, first on one side and then on the opposite side thereof, for propelling the hutch material longitudinally of the trough to a point of dis charge.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended hereto.

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention and wherein like reference characters are'used to designate like parts- Figure 1 isan elevational view, parts being shown in section, of a wash box equipped with 2 the new and improved structure of the invention for removing hutch material;

Figure 2 is avertical longitudinal sectional view of the wash box of Figure 1 showing the wash chamber side thereof and also illustrating the improved hutch material removing structure;

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view of the primary section and adjacent elevator compartment of the wash box showing the hutch trough equipped with the plate structure of the invention;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken transversely through an elevator compartment and illustrating the elevator mechanism located therein;

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken along line 6-6 of Figure 4 and illustrating the T-formation of splitter plate and top plate; and

Figure '7 is a top plan view illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the wash box for cleaning material such as coal and the like by gravity separation in a liquid medium is indicated generally by numeral l0, Figure 1. The wash box is rectangular in plan elevation, consisting of side walls H, and I2 and end walls [3 and [4. In elevation the end walls are approximately triangular and this is particularly so with respect to end wall l4 since this wall defines the end of one of the elevator compartments which characterizes wash boxes of this type. The side walls ,I l and I2 join to form a semi-circular bottom Wall l5 and it will be clearly seen from the drawings that this bottom wall is provided centrally of the wash box with hutch troughs, the hutch trough I 6 being located atthe entering end of the wash box and having association with the primary section, whereas, the trough I1 is located at the delivery end and has association with the secondary section. 7 Sup-- porting structure for the wash box is provided bythe vertical standards It and I9, the same being located on the respective sides of the box and each transverse pair of vertical standards are time to time when it is desired to clean out the same.

The wash box is closed by a top wall 22 which extends for half the widthof, the box to form the air chamber. The top may be open for the other half comprising the washing chamber. It is conventional with devices of this character for the air chamber side of the wash box to be equipped with air valves for admitting and exhausting air in order to effect the pulsations of the liquid within the box. It is also conventional that the washing chamber be equipped with material supporting screens or perforated plates,

As shown in Figure 2, a perforated plate or screen I;

23 is located in the primary section, whereasha similar screen or plate 24 is located i'n'the secondary section. The device shown in'the drawings may be described as a two-sectiom six-cell 1 type, the primary section at*the '-entering end:

consisting of two cells 25 and 26 formed by the transverse partition 2? and thesecondary section :3

consisting of four cells 28, 29, 30 and 31, formed by the transverse partitions 32, 33 and 34; s

The coal to be treated, such as raw coal from the mine; is admitted. tothe washing chamber by the material receiving chute 35; located at the entrance end of the'box andhaving'asecured re-. lation with wall I3. is discharged-by the. chute 36, extending from the. end wall M. 'In the primarysection a centrally located, longitudinally extending baffle plate 3'5 functionsto separate theair. chamber half of the The treated or washed coal box from the washing chamber. half, and a similar bafile' 38 extends centrally :and longitudinally of the secondary section. The air pulsations apiplied to the waterin the'air chamberof the wash box produces pulsations of the water transversely J of the box withthe result that the water surges back and forth on'the order of thirty tosixty times per minute The coalor other material.

refuse elevator compartment ll which is defined by the transverse walls 42 and 43Figure 2. Hutch The coal is cleaned in two.

material is also washed from. the coal duringi. primary treatment; thesame passing through the;

screens 23 and collecting in the hutch trough l6."

The invention provides-new and novel means for. propelling the hutch material longitudinally of I the troughinto the elevator cOmpartmentAl and this structure will be presently-described in .de-

tail:

The coal or other material from-screeni3 will eventually pass over the weir 44 and supporting plate 45 to be discharged into the secondary com I partment, consisting of cells 28 to 3| inclusive; The pulsations of the water are less violent as regardsthesecells and may be controlled to effeet rather-gentle back and forth surges of :the 1 water so as to stratify the coal-supportedby the screen 24-into relatively light gravity-material generallyreferredto as middlings and clean GOZLlr- It may be'desirable to effect the stratification of l the material Within the secondary compartment:= by'pulsations or surges of the liquid of diminish-' ing force from cell t'o'cell;'The-middlings fromthe secondary compartment are discharged by gate 46, similar to gate 40, but which is located in the elevator compartment 41. Saidelevator... compartment is defined by wall 48 and the end wall-l4 of the washbox. Duringtreatmentof the coalthroughrthe secondary compartment. hutch 1 material will be washed from the coal and upon passing through screen 24 it will settle and be finally collected by the hutch trough ll. Here again the trough H is equipped with the improv ment of the invention for propelling the hutch material forwardly along the trough for delivery into the elevator compartment "41, F

Both compartments of the presentbox are provided with automatic refuse discharge mechanism, the same essentially consisting of a float Edsuspendedby parallel link mechanism and balanced by an adjustable counterpoise generally indicated by numeral 5|. The action of the float is free and: unimpeded and as a result it is extremely sensitive toany change in the depth of the refuse bed-which it automatically gauges. Action of the floatin moving vertically as the depth of the refuse bed may vary is transmitted to aircylinder 52 operatively connected through linkage mechanism 53 to the gate 40. The gate is pivotally supported at 54 and in closed position the same is adapted to rest on the platform 55. When the refuse bed tends to build up the float.

rises to actuatev the air cylinder 52, causing a wider opening of the gate 40. When the excess refuse-is discharged the float will descend and again the. air cylinder is actuated but in a reverse manner to reduce opening of gate 49 or'possiblyto even close the gate. Automatic refuse dis elevator mechanism for removing the refuse material delivered to its respective compartment.

The mechanism-will'be described in connection with compartment 4|. Adjacent the bottom 58 -01" the. same, as best shown in ,Figurev 3, the com-' partment is equipped with a shaft 59'which is charge mechanism is associated with-bothgatesand gate 4% will likewise have opening and closing journalled at its respective ends'by caps Bil-and- I ti, the former. cap being secured-by screws 62 to wall 42; The. space below the cap 60 is left open I to facilitate travel of the hutch material along trough I6 and delivery of .the same to said compartmentAL: The cap 6| is securedto wall 43-- atsspacedpoints, top" and bottom thereoL-iby screws 53 and 64, respectively. Thez'zsha-ft-v 59 Journals sleeve -to which is secured .at respective ends 'ofthe sleeve'the sprockets B8.-. .Said

sprockets BS-are approximately :square inside elevation-as best-shown in Figure 5, beingacon structedlin this, manner. for the purpose of co-- acting with theglinks 61 of the elevator chain having the buckets 68 secured thereto. Similarstructure for-supporting theielevator chain is provided at the top of the elevatorbompart-ment andthe chain may be powered by'an electric motor such as .10, Figure'l. 1 Operationbfthe 1 motor will produce. movement of :the-endless chain to cause bucketsBB to travel in .a clock- 65 .warcily adjacent wall. -!I of the elevator compart mentjand upwardly as regardsthe'opposite wall 12;. As-thebuckets come-in contact with-.the

sprockets 66 -.-they=1move around therlower "extremity ofuthe elevator, compartment "and dig hascollected in theibottom of the compartment;

The buckets remove the material and discharge the same exteriorly of .the boxs lhe above-de scribed structure of elev ator mechanisrn =for compartment/4| is repeated forcelevator comaresult of the primary separating operations, the elevator in compartment 4! will remove from thebox the middlings and hutch material similarly deposited in; this elevator compartment by the secondary separatingoperations ltmay be. desirable to periodicallyclean the bottom sections of the elevator compartments, foriwhich purposethe drains 13 may be opened and the water and refuse dischargingtherefrom will be delivered to the drainage, boots 2].

Thepresent invention is concerned with-the handling of the hutch material and delivery tothe elevators of this line material which is usual- 1y not, larger thanhalf-an inch in size. In the past the. hutch material has been handled by a screw type conveyor located in the bottom of the hutch troughs. Because of the abrasive characteristics of the hutch material such screw conveyors are subjected to excessive :wear, and to V replace a screw conveyor involves considerable ,7

time and expense. Alsoduring replacement the plant is out of operation. The invention eliminates the screw conveyor and employs the positive force of the Water surges for propelling the hutch material forwardly along the troughs.

From the structuralstandpoint, the invention essentially resides in the provision of splitter plates inthe troughs as best shown in Figures 1 and 6. With respect to trough [6, a splitter plate 15 islocated centrally of the trough and extends longitudinally from end to end thereof, being greater in height than the depth of the trough. v v

The plate 15 is provided with a top plate I6 which, as shown inFigures 1, 2, 3 and 4, is imperforate. The two plates are joined on respective sides'by the radius plates 11. Since trough I6 has a bottom which slopes downwardly in a forward direction, the splitter plate 15 progressively increases in height from wall 13 in a for- Ward direction toward wall 42. However, the 10- cation of cap 66 within the trough at the forward end requires that the splitter plate terminate some distance rearwardly of wall 42 and at this point it will be seen that the top wall 16 is provided with an upturned flange 18. A removable top plate 19 is located in position over the cap 60, being secured at one end to flange 18 by the securing screws 80 and by screws 8| to wall 42 at its other end.

The trough l6, being on the longitudinal center of the wash box, is subjected to the action of the water surges in both directions. The splitter plate 15 transforms the surging motion of the water to motion forwardly within the trough first on one side and then the opposite side. The hutch material within the trough is thus propelled forwardly toward the elevator compartment 4!. The hutch material is acted upon by the water in one direction only, or, in other words, there is no tendency for the water to wash the hutch material in a rearward direction along the trough. As the water surges toward one side of the wash box it has action on the hutch material deposited in the trough on that side of the splitter plate and as the water returns it has action on the hutch material deposited in the trough on the other side of the splitter plate. The action of the radius plate 11 is to direct the propelling force of the water downwardly toward the trough bottom. The water and the hutch material propelled thereby is discharged wash box. It is relatively easy to provide a bypass or opening in wall 42, for example, adjacent the upper end of the compartment for draining the water and returning the same to the-washing chamber. found that the present device works satisfactorily without such a by-pass.

The hutch trough I1 is also provided with a splitter plate 82 extending centrally of the trough and longitudinally from its rear end adjacent wall 43 to its forward end adjacent wall 48, and as a result the plate is located under the cells 28 to 3! inclusive. As described in connection with trough It, a top plate 83 is provided and likewise the two plates are joined on the respective sides by the radius plates 34. The action of the water surges in the secondary compartment is the same as previously described and the hutch material ispropelled along the slopbottom wall of trough H in a forward diplate is provided with a plurality of openings 35 and disposed centrally of the plate so as to extend longitudinally of trough I6 is the splitter plate 8?. It will be observed that the section of the plate within cell 25 has a reduced width as compared to the plate within cell 26. This stepped formation can be carried outin a similar manner as the number of cells may increase. This modification is also characterized by bailles such as 88 which extend into the trough IS on the respective sides of the plate, the baflles being located in alignment with partition 21. In other words, the baffles are located at intervals where the plate increases in width. In this modification the propelling force of the Water surges is likewise used to discharge the hutch material from the trough. The action of the central splitter plate and top plate is to cause entrapment of the hutch material in the trough and which is then propelled longitudinally along the trough due to the pulsating surges of the water in the respective cells. The bafiles 88 are provided for controlling flow within the trough of the water laden with hutch material and said bafiles effectively prevent back wash such as might cause the hutch material to be recirculated in the cells.

The invention is not to be limited to or by details of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings as vari- However, it has been tow-e'icl the delifiei y end thereofg splitter plate located sub'stentially c'ent'rell' tor the lfig'tli 'Of the Etrdfigh enema-1mg: at heightigreater than the 1 v perpendicular tbp-p'ldt'e supported by th spl' 'e'r plate end extending i hori 'zttifitelyfor the lengt o'f 'the splitt6r plate} said" tbfi filate erdjeeting en respective" Sides of the 1' splitter pltteifin "siili'sta'riti'tll-y the "$1111 Width Ward l v ry nd r np ter pia of tne trzidemend e iadms'pla't'e er eoncave'shape located substantially 'centrally'for the' length'oi' 10 iih orties-section"- disfiosed on respective"sides of the-"trough an d havin'g -iia. height greater-than the-splitter plait t thefiei'nt betwen thef-splitter the depth of the tro'ughpa perpendicular "top plate 93nd the 't'ofi plet said'radiiis plateseach and standing on Iv tudinally i'n a dirc'tibn parallel-w" 5 of the mat'erial through:.thetanky saidtrough having-3a bottomwall-sloping :in "a downwar' directionidirom vtheentrance: end :of the tank to plate supported :by the splitter plateen'd' extend-v ingz-hori'z'ontallyffor the-length of the splitter plategandsaid' top 'plateprojeeting en respec' 'fl tive sides 'oi the splitter plate for substantially: theafull width 0f the tro'ugh; whereby said plate structure transforms I the surging motion *of the jigging :liquid into movement longitudinally within" the trough ftO propel the hutch material collected within'the trough to a discharge points- 2. Ina deviceof thecharacteras defined-by-c' claim i, wherein the top plate has a steppedformationincreasingin width at intervals ina directiontoward the point of -discherge,.-: and additionally including baffies "on respective sides of the splitter plate at each stepped formatiom said-haffies each-depending from the "top plate and-being-la'terelly spaced'i'rom'the splitter plate;

and: said bafiles *control ling-the flow of liquid longitudihallyiwithin the trough to prevent beck= wash and recirculation of the liquid in the tank;

3. In'a wash box-0f "the character described, the combination with a tank; of a screen ex tending longitudin'ally of thetenk-for supporting coal -or thehke to be trealted," means for periodically pulsating jigging liquid-within the tank to cause back and: forth surging motion of theli'qui-d transverselyof 'thetank; whereby the liquid 'will"periodically pass through thescreen to stratify: the -materia'1 thereon, -a trough in the "bottom of the tank belowthe screen and" extending"longitudinally in a direction parallel with the screen: said trough increasing in depth in a direction fromtheentranceend of the tanktrough 'an'd' disposed"substantially centrally ot pendiciil'a'r *top' plate 5 supportedb'yth splitter ior suhstajntielly "the full width of "-the -trOugh;

sec't'ioh dnddisbds'd oneaen sme (it thesplitter plate at the joint between the splitter plateend-- the todplate fl i ROBERT LEE-FATE Referens Gited in #the file of thi's'patent' UNITED:STATESPATENTS Number, m e 7. 1,926,408 Sayers -.Sept.12,1933

mfie strueture transforms the surging 1 tudin'ally within the' trough-to propel hutch ma terialf acc'umul'ated within the -trough to a disrig longitiidinallybf the tankief supportifigboall or th lfke te be treated; a; trough in thhotto'xfi of the tenli belowthe-screen- 5nd extendinglongitudinally in s, direction wafallel height great'ei thanthe depth of the-'- ith troueh 'foi th full length thereofj-a per 

